Tonga invitational coach Kristian Woolf is adamant the minnow nation is better placed than ever to claim another slice of history and upset Australia.
Woolf’s side will look to become the first tier-two nation to defeat the Kangaroos when they battle in Saturday’s rugby league triple-header in Auckland.
Samoa face Fiji and New Zealand meet Great Britain in the curtain-raisers at Eden Park before the feature match between the rising powerhouse and world No.1.
Officially sanctioned as a Test by International Rugby League, the Tongan side enter the contest after toppling the Lions in Hamilton last week, while Australia flexed their muscles by routing the Kiwis in Wollongong.
Saturday’s clash pits powerful Tongan big men Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo against Australian backline stars James Tedesco and Cameron Munster.
“The blokes have all done a really good job in terms of how they’ve come in fit. We’ve had a good almost two-and-a-half weeks together now,” Woolf said.
“And coming off the back of a game and performance that we were really happy with last weekend certainly puts us in the best position we’ve been in.”
The triple-header is expected to attract a bumper crowd primarily made up of Tongan fans in the 50,000-capacity stadium.
The occasion comes after weeks of uncertainty around Tongans’ participation because of the players’ dispute with their nation’s board.
It forced the International Rugby League to suspend the Tongan National Rugby League’s membership, allowing the game to proceed.
“I think it would’ve put us backwards a number of years if it didn’t go ahead and I think it would’ve really hurt international rugby league as well,” Woolf said.
“The important this is that we’re all here.”
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga conceded there was always a fear of failure for Australia given their dominance on the international stage.
Their only loss to a team other than New Zealand, England or Great Britain was against France all the way back in 1978.
“You always go into games, particularly at this level, (with a) fear of failure,” Meninga said.
“And that’s been a common theme for the Kangaroos for a long period of time. (But) our preparation’s been very good.”
The Kiwis have made two changes from last week, with Kieran Foran in for the axed Shaun Johnson and Joseph Tapine in for Braden Hamlin-Uele.
Australia have included debutant Cameron Murray on the bench for Ben Hunt.
STATS THAT MATTER
*James Tedesco is aiming to become just the seventh Australian player and first since Darren Lockyer in 2004-07 to score tries in four successive games.
*The Kangaroos have won all three of their Tests at Eden Park, including a 25-12 victory over New Zealand in the 1988 World Cup final.